Whether you’re in the midst of looking for a new job or are pretty certain that, come 2016, you will begin searching for leads, it’s helpful to know what industries are slated to make hiring headlines next year. Especially if you’re not currently in love with your field.
With the unemployment rate holding steady at approximately 5% (the lowest we’ve seen since 2008), it’s a job searcher’s paradise in many ways. But, in fact, some industries are hiring more than others. In an effort to determine what kinds of jobs will be the most in demand in the near future, CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists Intl. joined forces and surveyed a whopping 700 occupations.
Here’s what they found: Of positions that require a college degree, registered nurses ranked as the number one biggest growing occupation. One reason? The current demographic making up the field; the study reports that 62% of nurses are considering retirement in the next three years. Software developers and marketing managers, sales managers, and medical and health services managers composed the remainder of the top five.
As far as other positions are concerned, the engineering field’s growing at a rapid rate. With a greater demand for software developers, network administrators, systems analysts, and industrial engineers (all of which appear in the top 10), switching jobs and looking for a bigger paycheck may be easier for this group than almost any other.
Don’t know the first thing about engineering (and growing tired of hearing it’s the hottest field ever)? Not to worry: Fast Company reports that Saama Technologies, for example, doesn’t necessarily care. If you’re skilled in related subjects, such as in math, physics, statistics, or even psychology, you may be eligible for paid training, which can ultimately lead to work in the field. It’s resume food for thought.
If your new year’s resolution is to find a new job, you’re not alone, and it may be worth it to check out the full list, including positions that don’t require a four-year degree, like food service managers or medical secretaries.
One last note: Don’t be dissuaded from applying for a position outside of you do right now simply because you don’t meet every single qualification on the job description. You may just have enough transferrable skills to sell yourself and make a career jump. And if not, there’s no time like the present to sign up for a class that’ll get you there.